See our Ukraine response resources > Heartfelt Gratitude from a Ukrainian Family The San Jose Mercury News featured the story of a Ukrainian couple, Mariia and Anatolii, that JFCS has been privileged to help—thanks to your generosity. Their daughter, Oksana, shared these words of gratitude for...

On May 12, two Holocaust survivors—Sonia Apfelbaum, 81, and David Diamond, 92—stood on the bimah at Peninsula Temple Beth El in San Mateo in front of family and friends. Their dreams of becoming a Bat and Bar Mitzvah had been lifelong in the making, and three years in the making for JFCS and a s...

“Make your ear like a funnel and acquire for yourself a perceptive heart … “ —Babylonian Talmud, Exodus This wisdom accompanied graduates of JFCS’ New Leaders Fellowship—a year-long Jewish community leadership program—on a uniquely curated trip to Israel this summer le...

“Many Israelis in the Bay Area are newly arrived, working in tech, economically stable, and raising young children. But what happens to those who are aging, facing hardship, or coping with illness? They can be left aside, with no family nearby to help.” —Oded Hermoni, JFCS Board of Directors a...

See our Ukraine response resources > For 19 weeks, we all have followed the news of the war in Ukraine. Throughout this time of great pain, our community has come together by contributing humanitarian aid, advocating for refugees, and volunteering time, talent, and resources. Thank you for being...

The California Assembly and Senate have released their joint budget agreement, a critical step in the State’s annual budget approval process. It includes two of our Jewish community’s most important priorities—Holocaust and genocide education and caring for vulnerable survivors. Anita Friedman...

Yvonne z’l and Ernest Schneider wed in Homewood Terrace’s synagogue in 1951, surrounded by friends they made in the children’s home. Ernest Schneider was six years old when his widowed mother, unable to make ends meet during the Great Depression, brought him to live at Homewood Terrace on ...

When asked about the secret to her long life, Hilda Richards once said, “I am definitely an optimist, and I think that has helped me very much.” Hilda, a true gem of our community, passed away this April at the age of 104. A resident of San Francisco for more than 84 years, Hilda was […]...

See our Ukraine response resources > Ukrainian Refugees in the Bay Area Receive Housing and Life-Saving Medical Care through JFCS Olesia and her family were living in Kyiv when the war started. That very day, she and her husband, Volodymyr, packed their two children, ages 15 and 22 months, and a...

There is overwhelming evidence that today’s youth are facing a mental health crisis. A recent ACLU survey found that 45% of California students feel depressed, while CDC data shows that mental health-related emergency room visits are up 31% for people aged 12 – 17. It is clear why the American A...

Over the last year, JFCS’ Koret Fellows empowered Bay Area teens to bring about change while supporting communities in need. Thanks to their efforts, local youth learned about issues affecting seniors, children, families, and our society as a whole and applied what they learned to design and imple...

Thanks to generous donations and dedicated volunteers, JFCS Food Banks are able to serve thousands in our community every year. We are thrilled to welcome Jill Kulick, Marian Sosnick, and Sara Green as our new Peninsula Food Bank chairs! These three dedicated women devote their time to volunteering ...

See our Ukraine response resources > “I love Passover because for me it is a cry against indifference, a cry for compassion.” ⁠—Elie Wiesel With this extraordinary humanitarian effort continuing into a second month, you are taking action to provide lifesaving help for Ukraine. Thank you....

Jewish Family and Children’s Services (JFCS) Holocaust Center has established the California Collaborative for Holocaust and Genocide Education, with support from a $1.9 Million grant from the Marin County Office of Education and the State of California. The California Collaborative, a first-of-it...

See our Ukraine response resources > “Morally speaking, there is no limit to the concern one must feel for the suffering of human beings…In a free society, some are guilty, but all are responsible.” —Rabbi Abraham Joshua Heschel z”l Since the start of the invasion, more than 10.5 m...

  “The opposite of love is not hate, it is indifference.” —Eli Wiesel Thank you for your outpouring of generosity! We are grateful for your donations to JFCS’ Emergency Humanitarian Fund for Ukraine Relief, your offers of assistance, and your thousands of shares on social media. Togethe...

When the invasion of Ukraine began, Andrii Blyzenko immediately thought of his mother and younger brother. Fearing the worst, he contacted JFCS Legal Services for advice on ways to bring his loved ones to safety. JFCS has been resettling Jews from the former Soviet Union for decades and is one of th...

When Amelia, age 12, started expressing anxiety about her social status, her mother, Dana, became concerned. Amelia felt that everyone had more friends, more fun, and better life than hers. All based on what she saw on social media. Dana knew she needed help after her daughter began to present a fak...

When the pandemic hit, Samuel was stuck at home, unable to get out and do anything—no work, no in-person social or recreation activities. The loss of connection left a void in his life. When his mom heard about Shupin Social Club from an online parent group, she immediately knew this was a solu...

“Service is an important part of our family values and our Jewish values,” says Scott Haber, who was elected to the JFCS Board of Directors in July 2021. Growing up near Philadelphia, Scott observed his family’s active engagement in keeping their temple strong and supporting their community. �...

Ryan had been struggling academically and socially since the beginning of the pandemic. He had looked forward to high school. Now he was spending his first year of high school online, without opportunities to make friends. Academically, Ryan had difficulty with remote learning and continually lost f...

“I am always trying to find ways to engage other Jewish young adults who feel some connectivity with Jewish culture and religion and don’t know where to go to find community,” says Mitch Waxman, who was elected to the JFCS Board of Directors in July. A native of Marin County, Mitch has known a...

Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the launch of the Governor’s Council on Holocaust and Genocide Education—an important step forward in the fight against antisemitism and hate. The council will include state legislators, civic leaders and representatives from minority communities. The J...